Getting Results: President signs law helping military families living in moldy housing

NewsChannel 3 took action just over a year ago, and now our investigation into mold and maintenance problems in Lincoln Military Housing has come full circle–getting results with a new law actually passed as a result of our reporting.

Rep. Scott Rigell introduced the Military Housing Oversight and Accountability Act last April.

House leaders merged it into the National Defense Authorization Act, and on Wednesday, President Obama finally signed it into law.

It increases oversight on the multi-billion dollar companies that provide housing to military families all around the country.

“I’m ecstatic, absolutely ecstatic,” said Angela Walker, who was one of the many military wives that came forward to NewsChannel 3 over the course of our year-long investigation.

After fighting for 2 years to get out of her Joint Forces Staff College home plagued with mold and electrical problems, Lincoln finally moved her this past fall.

“Obviously if a bill was introduced and signed into law, we’ve got someone in our corner. Someone actually listened to us,” said Walker.

The law now requires each branch of the military report to Congress twice a year on the financial health of each housing partnership, how money is being spent, and if there is a backlog of maintenance requests.

The law also allows service secretaries to impose more regulations on the housing companies.

Before, the military only had oversight when it came to construction of new homes, but now, their oversight extends to maintenance and upkeep of existing homes.

It’s something that eases the minds of military wives like Walker.

“You felt like there was no hope, that nobody was listening. It was us, up against these big companies, and they were winning. Now I’m really happy there is a law helping us.”